CAMARGO, Ill. (Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014) – If the first three races of the 2014 season are any indication, the battle for the University of Northwestern Ohio All Star Circuit of Champions titles will be exciting.
Three of the five races in Florida – two were lost to rain – produced three different winners with NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Dave Blaney picking up a win at Bubba Raceway Park followed by Australian Kerry Madsen dominating the following night at Bubba Raceway Park and Joey Saldana picking up his 71st career UNOH All Star feature win at Volusia Speedway Park.
“We are extremely excited with the teams we have following us this year. You have three drivers looking to become the first ever in All Star history to win a fifth championship along with some great veterans and very talented young drivers,” said Guy Webb, UNOH All Star President. ‘The fans will be treated to the best sprint car racing in the country battling the tough regular competitors in Ohio, Pennsylvania and throughout the Midwest.”
“We are building a solid base with the teams, fans and tracks along with the tremendous success we’ve had since teaming up with the University of Northwestern Ohio. That university in Lima is growing in leaps and bounds and we’re excited to spread the word about the great programs the school offers,” added Webb.
Again the UNOH All Stars will incorporate a regional point system in 2014 – the Ohio Region, Eastern Region, Great Plains Region and over-all championship. So far the 2013 World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year David Gravel leads the Eastern Region and National points for the UNOH All Stars.
Hartford, Ohio’s Dale Blaney picked up his fourth series title in 2013 and also claimed the Ohio Region championship. Blaney also became the UNOH All Stars’ most prolific winner in 2013, surpassing hall-of-famer Kenny Jacobs in career series wins with 99 total.
Blaney will have his hands full in trying to defend his title in 2014. Besides four time champion Tim Shaffer, who currently sits second in All Star National and Eastern Region points, former four time champion Chad Kemenah is gunning for his fifth title and sits third in the 2014 points.
Danny Holtgraver, who had a break-out year in 2013 with the All Stars, is riding in the fourth place in points followed by Greg Hodnett, Dale Blaney, Jac Haudenschild, Danny Dietrich, Dave Blaney and Caleb Helms.
Others expected to battle for the UNOH All Star championships in 2014 include former national 360 sprint champion Wayne Johnson, two-time Napa Wayne County (Ohio) Speedway champion Andrew Palker, 2013 national midget champion Christopher Bell and more.
The UNOH All Stars have 47 events scheduled in 2014 in 9 states. The series will kick off the Ohio Region chase with the traditional Spring Nationals at Attica Raceway Park in Ohio on Friday and Saturday April 4 and 5 with the Saturday event now paying $10,000 to win. From there the series heads east to challenge the tough Pennsylvania Posse at the historic Williams Grove Speedway on April 25 and Port Royal Speedway on April 26.
The month of May is filled with Ohio Region races including Lernerville Speedway and Mercer Raceway Park in Western Pennsylvania on May 9 and May 10 respectively. The series will lead the grand re-opening of Allegheny Motor Speedway (Formerly Tri-City Speedway) in Franklin, Pa. on May 18.
Fremont Speedway will host the UNOH All Stars in a big Memorial Day weekend double-header on May 24 and 25 with the Sunday event paying $10,000 to win.
Butler Speedway in Michigan will host the All Stars on June 7 followed by an Eastern Region swing that includes Canandaigua Motorsports Park in New York on June 11 followed by Williams Grove Speedway on June 13 and Lincoln Speedway in Pennsylvania on June 14.
That all leads up to the often imitated seldom duplicated Ohio Sprint Speedweek. The 32nd annual event features 9 straight nights of racing across the Buckeye State. It all kicks off June 20 at Attica Raceway Park followed by a Saturday appearance at the world famous Eldora Speedway on June 21. The bullring of Waynesfield Raceway Park will be next up on Sunday, June 22 followed by the traditional stop at one of speedweek’s founding tracks, the NAPA Wayne County Speedway on Monday, June 23. Tuesday finds the series at another of speedweek’s founding tracks, the Sharon Speedway followed by a return to the Atomic Speedway in Chillicothe, Ohio on June 25. Fremont Speedway will host the first of two speedweek shows on Thursday, June 26 followed by the traditional Friday stop at Limaland Motorsports Park on Friday, June 27. Fremont Speedway will host the finale paying $10,000 to win on Saturday, June 28.
July will be jammed pack with UNOH All Star action, kicking off with the traditional The Night the Stars Come Out on July 3. Following the Kings Royal at Eldora Speedway (July 11 and 12) the All Stars make their trek to the Great Plains. It all kicks off July 19 at Wilmot Raceway in Wilmot Wisconsin followed by the tough Husets Speedway in Brandon, S.D. on July 20. The series heads to Williston Basin Speedway in Williston, N.D. on July 24 followed by a return trip to Buffalo River Race Park in Gyndon, Minnesota on July 26. The Thunder Through the Plains concludes with a $10,000 to win event at Husets on July 27.
August is filled with Ohio Region point races beginning Aug. 16 at Butler Motor Speedway in Michigan followed on Aug. 23 and Aug. 24 with a big weekend at Mercer Raceway Park in Western Pennsylvania. For the second year in a row, the UNOH All Stars will be a part of a big season-ending double-header at Attica Raceway Park. On Friday, Aug. 29 the All Stars are part of a racing card that includes the Lucas Oil Late Model Series. The All Stars are back the following night. The month wraps up with the third straight night of racing on Aug. 31 at the NAPA Wayne County Speedway.
The UNOH All Stars will end the Eastern Region title hunt on Sept. 5 and 6 with the annual 47th Annual Tuscarora 50 weekend. Saturday’s event pays $10,000 to win.
The 7th Annual Jim Ford Classic Weekend is on tap at Fremont Speedway on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 12 and 13 with the finale on Saturday paying $10,000 to win.
The series then heads to Brushcreek Motorsports Complex in Peebles, Ohio on Sept. 20 and wraps up the month on Sept. 21 at the Allegheny Motor Speedway in Western Pennsylvania.
The UNOH All Stars wrap up the 2014 campaign at the Sprintacular on Oct. 11 at Eldora Speedway.
“We’re pleased to add several new venues in 2014 which shows the UNOH All Star brand continues to grow. There are more double-header weekends and less travel between races this year as we try to help teams and fans with those expenses,” said Webb.
You can keep up with the UNOH All Stars by going to www.allstarsprint.com – follow @ASCOC on Twitter or like the series on Facebook.
February
2/6 Bubba Raceway Park
2/7 Bubba Raceway Park
2/8 Bubba Raceway Park
2/12 Volusia Speedway Park
2/13 Volusia Speedway Park
April
4/4 Attica Raceway Park
4/5 Attica Raceway Park
4/25 Williams Grove Speedway
4/26 Port Royal Speedway
May
5/9 Lernervile Speedway
5/10 Mercer Raceway Park
5/18 Allegheny Motor Speedway
5/24 Fremont Speedway
5/25 Fremont Speedway
5/31 Wayne County Speedway
June
6/7 Butler Speedway
6/11 Canandaigua Motorsports Park
6/13 Williams Grove Speedway
6/14 Lincoln Speedway
Ohio Sprint Speedweek
6/20 Attica Raceway Park
6/21 Eldora Speedway
6/22 Waynesfield Raceway Park
6/23 Wayne County Speedway
6/24 Sharon Speedway
6/25 Atomic Speedway
6/26 Fremont Speedway
6/27 Limaland Motorsports Park
6/28 Fremont Speedway
July
7/3 Atomic Speedway
7/11 Eldora Speedway (Kings Royal)
7/12 Eldora Speedway (Kings Royal)
7/19 Wilmot Raceway
7/20 Husets Speedway
7/24 Williston Basin Speedway
7/26 Buffalo River Race Park
7/27 Husets Speedway
August
8/16 Butler Motor Speedway
8/23 Mercer Raceway Park
8/24 Mercer Raceway Park
8/29 Attica Raceway Park
8/30 Attica Raceway Park
8/31 Wayne County Speedway
Septemeber
9/5 Port Royal Speedway
9/6 Port Royal Speedway
9/12 Fremont Speedway
9/13 Fremont Speedway
9/20 Brushcreek Motorsports Complex
9/21 Allegheny Motor Speedway
October
10/11 Eldora Speedway